Coupling



Jan. 27, 1959 ca. H. BRAMHALL 2,

COUPLING Filed Oct. 4', 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H/Ls Attorney Jan. 27, 1959 a. H. BRAMHALL 2,

COUPLING Filed Oct. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [)7 vent or: George f7. Bram/2a,

H/ls Att rngy United States Patent Ih inv nti n r a genera y o a sampli g and, art su arl mas b tween a i d-ms hs zs a i id membe sash a a r gid vacuu cl aner, dirt has .fastsnsr nd r id .ovah edir bag.

Iii an isa sn. t 4' ..;Q .'fi1.e e ruary 18, 4 by M rh emh t and m s lf, now at N 277 52 and assi ed s h same s ig s a the i st ant applicatiqr there is disclosed an invention rela n ts vaauum .slsane and a disposa le dirt ba therefor. The instant invention pertains .to an improvement in the coupling em-red by the vacuum cleaner as tshs and r h .thr bag and pa ti a y t v h construction of the bag 7; ste'ner. As was pointed .out in t e .isfs sdt p io ati h du to t e cr asing use ;.of yacuum cleaner by domestic us er.s the modem ai 5 i t Nashua; c eane ar i to provid i pss l d t rh as- It is h y desi abl hat he s serticn and IGIlflQVfil pf such dirt bags be simple, swift a n t yh ssriss itahtly impor an owever. t ssu e a i h swir n between the d has an t e ac um :slsans 9 p eclude an leaka e o di a s air, and thereby insure that all dirt-laden air passes h mis th .dirtbaa where the dirt is isv f om It is fundamental in an art;a s competitiye as the menm s s art, tha th asqqmpli h tt 9 foregoing desirable pu p se h stte ts a a m imum .sss

I i an shi s s thi inven i t vide an mn ts s sa plin i a ri m b and s n-r m mb and t ssla 91 wh ch i hss llss a onsss sn b een a .d s ssab di has and s va um cleaner. More partic larly, it is an objectcf this invsn sn to pr vide s sh a mp qv d sl hna which is simple, swift and sanitary in use, and which, further, e fe a tight l snn i n wh st hs .nisihhs s atss up Oth r o isst .s id tlst il p .tha wh sh belie t be novel and my invention will be clearfro n the following de cr i n and cla m taken wi the as empsn ng drawin s, in Wh sh are sho n tail m edimsn of theinuention.

a- 1 .i anasl vatish .view .s a vac um .slsase ha hie is art rsmh rsdtts ma s slss l s ew he inte nal construction.

ig- .2 i a NEW i hssrsuh aa iall .s lhns 121 sf ie 1 .s terr hs disns ahl rd r hasrhashssh rem ved- F s- 3 I side sls atis v c i ;Fi 11 a as yhtnpasl vat n ew o F 2 s ins i rth d r s icn ctar nwt l Fig 5 .is fragmentary, sectional view .talten substantially airline-1576M Fig. 2.

.iFig. 6iis .aview similar .to Fig. -5 showing the parts after a dirt bag has been coupled.

Fig. "'I is a view similar to' Fig. 4 showing the parts after a dirtbag has been coupled.

Fig. *8 is a perspective view of a dirt bag.

"9 is a perspective view of the bani-(plate of the vacuum cleaner dirt hag fastener.

'ice

:Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the pressure .plate of the vacuum cleaner dirt hag. fastener.

The invention may h pplied in any environment where it ;is desirable to provide an inexpensive, effective coupling between a rigid member and .a non-rigid memb bis is aslv u e u in a cu l aner wh rein it may be incorporated as a means 'forconnecting a dispos ahle dirt hag to -;the vacuum cleaner, therefore, it is l s rat d and Wil he d sc i e a app d o a vacu m cleaner; it .should he clearly muderstood, :however, thatjt may be used in other applications, whereyer a coupling of the typeis needed.

1 llu ra e a th 'PWPQ .q xemp tion, the improved coupling incorporated in a .vacuunr le e Yasusm slean 1 10 smp l a o t r i c l n ca wa 1, having 31 -Xt Ii fi 1 4 fo c nhe to a .ss i shtisna r diu c a hos hic communicates .with an .inletgtuhe 16,;disposed'interna1ly of th l la a d Whis spss t its inne snd th dirt bag fastener .13. Bag fastener .l8.-is the rigid con pling member. As used herein the term rigid signifi ha .th q m sss t s th has a tene ar vmade of rigid .rnaterial,s ch as avmetal, or hard plastic, yhowsvsr; here ma be som m vsmsii of sh ssmp n m relative to each other; the term is used primarily to distinguish the physical characteristics ,of the bag :fastener from those of the disposable .dirt bag 26, which is the iiQht i i membe and y e m d h tfiltsr P er o .t htis. .sth than i mea i e portion .24-

Concentrica ily spaced Mithlllihe cylindrical wall 12 i an inn r gid P rfs sts c lind al whish s rrsund .stn snt enal, sshssiatisal i ls th is and m t .im .Ths detail c th .va um s s iis m n srssifis pa sf h inv n an es-s r a in21 h .ds srihst -n .dsts l; t is v ntio r ate primar l to surlise .ts his y th has. f sts 18 and he mee n .r 'ir isn .2 c the dispssab d b s .26- A .ilhi ha sshin .E 1 h n lsnsatiws fi is fs hsd hath en ths htsnah iinsnsy n sa Wal s th s nsnsi an the i sssahl dir ha .26 is d s d .t s sin whe i .F i lfid i th h s ast n 1 for use. It will be understood that the dirt hag may be ove and .t isaqse 9 by vi nssup his. h su ing portion from the bag fastener Q f the clea er.

By rsfsrshss is d win h .s s ai ed .ss h tish of the improved coupling will .hecorne appa e t. It will be observed in Figs. l, 6 and 7 that the coupling comprises .t at r mshtishsd h s a t ne 1 rt rihss on the vacuum cleaner and the niounting portion ZA- formed on the disposable dirt hag l fi. As .was.the case in the referred-to application of' Mr. Kemnitz and r yself, the disposabltizldirt bag comprises a flexible, receptacle portion 30 made offiltering fabric, p ap er or the like, and the mou ting portion 2,4 in the form of a rigid or semi-rigid mounting plate whic h may;he cardboard or the-like (see Fig. 8). Mounting plate 2.4 is apertured at- 25, and is secured to the receptacle portion by passing the neck 32 of the receptacle portion through the aperture ZSand cementing or giuing it to the mounting plate.

The bag fastener 18 comprises a back plate 34 and a pressure plate 36 (see Figs. 2,-3, 4 and 5). Back plate 34 is illustrated by itself in Fig. 9; it has a central opening 33 and is-rigidly connected to inlet tube 16, WlthiiS .opening aligned with the tube. The back plate is rigid, .thin, genrallyrectangular and has a pair of oppositely laterally projecting tabs 40 formed atone of its sides 'Tl -Pi wmsh et .a i sil lstrated by;i tself in Fig. .10. It sqmh isss ab i an {shape member i a front wallA Z, bottornwai l 4d, .apair ofn side wallsAmanda pair of rearfflangesAS. Note that iprpurpcses of ,eX-

planation, the wall 42 is considered the front, and the flanges 48 constitute the rear of the pressure plate. The front wall 42 has a large notch 50 having a U-shaped periphery cutout for receiving the neck 32 of the dirt bag When the parts arecoupled. A pair of relatively small, rectangular notches 52 are cut out of each of the lower corners of the front wall, and the lower portions of side walls 46 are cut away at 53. The upper portions 54 of front Wall 42 are bent slightly out of the major plane of the front wall, and thereby form a pair of flanges for guiding the mounting plate 24 during coupling of the dirt bag to the bag fastener. The bottom wall 44 is bent generally at a right angle to the front wall, as are the side walls 46, the latter being bent in planes that are perpendular to the plane of the former. However, the bottom wall does not extend rearwardly as far as the side walls. Each of the side walls 46 supports an inwardly directed rear flange 48, which is disposed relatively thereto at'a right angle. The flanges oppose each other and are spaced, and have their adjacent edges 56 bent over. As can be clearly seen in Fig. 10, each of the side portions of the front wall, and their adjacent side walls and rear flanges, form a guide channel 57. In each of the channels 57 is disposed a bowed leaf spring 53 which is secured at its lower end to the lower portion of the front face of the rear flange 48 as by a rivet 60. As can best be seen in Fig. 5, the bowed portions of the springs press against the rear face of the front wall 42. The top ends 59 of the springs are free to move during flexing of the springs.

The back plate and pressure plate are shown in assembled position prior to having a dirt bag coupled to them in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. In these figures it will be observed that when the plates are assembled, the back plate 34 is disposed substantially within the pressure plate 36, its side portions being disposed within the channels 57, and its tabs 40 extending laterally through the cutaway portions 53, underneath and beyond the lower edges of the side walls 46 of the pressure plate. It will be observed further, that the front face of the back plate 34 is in intimate, planar contact with the rear face of the front wall 42 of the pressure plate 36, and that it is urged into this position by the bowed central portions of springs 58, which engage it at both of its sides (see Figs.

4 and 5).

To assemble the plates, the pressure plate 36 is disposed above the back plate 34 and moved downwardly over it. The plates may be tilted relative to each other to permit clearance between the bottom wall 44 and the top portion of the back plate 34. During this movement, the springs 58 are compressed sufliciently so as to permit the back plate to be inserted between the rear side of the front wall 42 and the rear flanges and the springs. When the pressure plate reaches a point where its bottom wall 44 clears the side of the back plate having the tabs 40, the force of the springs snap the back plate into place, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. The springs 58 then maintain theplates in the illustrated, assembled relationship.

When it is desired to couple a member, such as dirt bag 26, to the assembled bag fastener 18, the mounting plate 24 of the member is inserted downwardly into the bag fastener between the rear face of the front wall 42 of the pressure plate and the front face of the back plate 34. To facilitate insertion, the guide flanges 54 may be utilized. The neck 32 of the bag is slid into the U- shaped notch 50 during coupling until the mounting plate 24 is fully mounted. This coupled relationship is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, wherein it will be observed that the mounting plate 24 is disposed between the front wall 42 of the pressure plate and the back plate 34. These parts are in substantial, intimate, planar contact, being maintained in such condition by the springs 58. To remove the dirt bag, it is simply necessary to grasp the top of the art.

the mounting plate 24 and slide it upwardly, out from between the plates of the fastener.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that coupling and uncoupling of the dirt bag to the bag fastener may be effected quickly and readily, and that when coupled, the connection is on three sides of the bag mounting portion over a substantial area, and is tight and effective. As was mentioned, tightness is extremely important in a vacuum cleaner application, for avoidance of leakage is necessary. When used in the vacuum cleaner application, it will be apparent that dirtladen air will flow from a conventional cleaning tool and hose (not shown), through the inlet 14 and inlet tube 16, out opening 38 in the back plate 34, through the neck 32 and into the dirt bag receptacle portion 30, from which it emerges with the dirt removed and passes through the motor-fan unit 22 and out appropriate discharge openings (not shown). It will be understood that after the dirt bag is full and it is desired to dispose of it, it is simplynecessary to open the vacuum cleaner, grasp the top of the mounting plate 24, as mentioned before, and pull it upwardly relative to the bag fastener 18. Thereafter, it may be appropriately disposed of simply by depositing it in a convenient trash receiving receptacle. it should be noted that the removal of the filled dirt bag can be accomplished without touching any of the receptacle portion of the dirt bag, which may be soiled. A new, clean, empty dirt bag may then be mounted in the cleaner by inserting its mounting plate into the bag fastener as described.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of my invention are not limited to the particular details of construction of the examples illustrated, and I contemplate that various and other modifications and applications will occur to those skilled in it is, therefore, my intention that the appended claims will cover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A fastener comprising a back plate and a pressure plate, said plates having opposed planar surfaces, and means secured to one of said plates and disposed between portions of said plates for normally resiliently pressing said surfaces into contact, said plates being mounted for uniform relative movement toward and away from each other and adapted to have the mounting plate of a member to be coupled to said fastener inserted and slid between them.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said plates has an edge portion bent out of its major plane to facilitate insertion of said mounting plate.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said back plate has an opening, said mounting plate has an aperture, and said pressure plate has a notch which overlies said opening, whereby said mounting plate when coupled to said fastener has its aperture aligned with the opening in said back plate.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said back plate is rigidly mounted, is substantially rectangular and has a pair of oppositely, laterally extending tabs near one of its sides, and said pressure plate comprises a front wall, side walls and rear flanges which cooperate to form channels for receiving said back plate when the plates are assembled, said tabs adapted to extend laterally beyond said side walls when the plates are assembled whereby said pressure plate engages said tabs to prevent disassembly of said plates.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said pressure plate includes a bottom wall which is narrower than said side walls, and which contacts an edge of the tabbed side of said back plate to lock the plates when the fastener is fully assembled.

6. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means -a pair of plates which are normally resiliently pressed into mutual planar contact, said fastener plates being adapted to be parted by said mounting plate upon insertion of said mounting plate therebetween, whereby said fastener plates tightly embrace said mounting plate when the latter is fully mounted in said fastener.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein means are provided on one of said fastener plates for urging said fastener plates toward each other.

9. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said plates are resiliently pressed into mutual planar contact by a pair of leaf springs which are secured to one of said fastener plates.

10. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said bag fastener comprises a back plate and a pressure plate, an opening in said back plate, and a notchin said pressure plate which overlies said opening, and said bag comprises a receptacle having said mounting plate secured thereto, said mounting plate having an opening formed therein, whereby the opening in the mounting plate is aligned with the opening in said back plate, and a portion of the receptacle is disposed insaid notch when the bag is coupled to the fastener.

11. A device as defined in claim 10 wherein said back plate is rigidly mounted, is substantially rectangular and has a pair of oppositely, laterally extending tabs near one of its sides, and said pressure plate comprises a front wall, side walls and rear flanges which cooperate to form channels for receiving said back plate when the plates are assembled, said tabs adapted to extend laterally beyond said side walls when the plates are assembled, whereby said pressure plate engages said tabs to prevent disassembly of said plates.

12. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said bag fastener, comprises a back plate and a pressure plate, said back plate is rigidly mounted, is substantially rectangular and has a pair of oppositely, laterally extending tabs near one of its sides, and said pressure plate comprises a front wall, side walls and rear flanges which cooperate to form channels for receiving said back plate when the plates are assembled, said tabs adapted to extend laterally beyond said side walls when the plates are assembled, Whereby said pressure plate engages said tabs: to prevent disassembly of said plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,153,580 Lynger N Apr. 11, 1939 2,172,180 Schellens Sept. 5, 1939 2,175,195 Irvine Oct. 10, 1939 2,533,057 Senne Dec. 5, 1950 2,686,330 Wales Aug. 17, 1954 2,719,600 Brace Oct. 4, 1955 2,755,883 Brace July 24, 1956 

